The present invention relates to a sterilizer system. More particularly the present invention relates to a ball valve sterilizer system and control.
Various sterilizer systems which utilize steam as a sterilizing agent are known in the art. Typically, a steam sterilizer system is used in hospitals, chemical laboratories, biological laboratories and, in general, wherever materials must be sterilized. The present invention is not limited to sterilizer systems using steam only, it is applicable to all types of sterilizers, including gas sterilizers, low temperature sterilizers, washer sterilizers, and steam-vacuum sterilizers. For the purpose of conciseness, however, the invention is described herein in terms of a general purpose steam sterilizer. It should be understood, however, that the invention is equally applicable to sterilizers using other gases as the sterilizing agent.
As used in a hospital, a sterilizer must be capable of sterilizing at least three different types of materials, namely, fabrics such as caps, gowns, and dressings; surgical instruments; and chemical solutions. The operation of a sterilizer using steam depends upon control of the flow of steam at high pressures and temperatures. In the past, sterilizers employed poppet valves to control the steam flow. It was found that the poppet valves used in a sterilizer became defective due to articles or impurities in the steam which interfered with proper seating of the valve face on the valve seat and due to corrosion by the steam. As a result, the flow of steam could not be reliably or accurately regulated. Moreover, due to the failure of the valve to properly regulate the flow of steam, the sterilizer failed to sterilize the article or matter to be sterilized. In many areas, and especially in hospital operating rooms, this could prove to be disastrous.